Air-heater fob internal-combustion engines



F DJQKEY. AIR HEATER FOR I'NTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILEDMAR. 12. 191].

1,310,412. Patented July 22, 19m.

l l I a l 1-4 lUl II I! \I ll FRANKLIN DICKEY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

,AIR-HEATER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1212.

Application filed March 12, 1917. Serial No. 154,352.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN DICKEY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in .the' countyof Marion and State of Indiana, have-invented a new and usefulImprovement in Air-Heaters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to certain accessories for internalcombu'stionengines, and more particularly to a device for supplying'heated airthereto. The invention will be fully understood from the followingdetailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a common form of the internal combustion engine used inautomobiles, the dash-board of the auto-- mobile beingshown in sectionfor the purpose of illustrating the control mechanism for the airheater. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the heater per se. Fig. 3 is anenlarged sectional view substantially on a line 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4is an enlarged sectional view on a line 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, the numeral 10 designatesa four-cylinder internal combustion engine of a common form and providedwith an inlet inanifold 11 and an exhaust manifold 12, which arearranged in generally parallel relationship, the exhaust manifold lyingabove the inlet manifold. For the purpose of supplying heated air to theinlet manifold 11, I provide a heater, generally designated by thenumeral 13, this heater being preferably constructed of cast-metal andbeing ofU- shape in cross-section and provided with flanges 14 at itsopen edge, these flanges being curved to the radius of the exhaust mani=fold 12, on which the heater is designed to rest. The ends of the heatercasting 13 are closed by integral webs and air is permitted to enter theinterior of the casting through a plurality bf grooves or notches 15formed in the bearing face of one of the flanges 14 adjacent the ends ofthe heater. The casting-is secured in place on the top surface of themanifold-12 by some suitable means,

such as a clamp 16, illustrated in Fig. 3, be-

fold by an elbow 19 and with the heater by an elbow 20, the latter elbowcarrying a plug valve 21 which may conveniently be operated by a. rod 22passingthrough the dash-board 23 of the automobile, and having anoperating handle on its inner end. in the particular construction of theinvention illustrated it isv not intended that the plug. valve 21 shouldbe used for graduating or adjusting the amount of heated air to hesupplied to the inlet manifold, the valve being intended solely as acut-off and not as a regulator. The function of regulation isaccomplished in the construction shown by the pro vision of an aperture21, of predetermined size, forming a connection between the interionofthe heater 13 and the elbow 20. In order to provide sufficient metal forthe adequate fastening of the threaded end of the elbow 20 and for theregulating perforation 2-1, the heater casting may have an integral lug25 extending inwardly at the point of attaclunent of the elbow.

By reason of the fact that my air heater is formed with relatively heavymetal walls, curved to fit the wall of the exhaust pipe 12 and havecontact therewith over a considerable area, the heat of the exhaustmanifold isreadily conducted to the heater casting and transferrec'l bythe latter to the air pass ing therethrough. Since the wall of theexhaust manifold itself forms one ofthe confining surfaces for the airin its passage through the heater, the effectiveness of the latter isfurther increased.

The ahnosphcric air heated as above described is supplied to the intakemanifold 11 through the regulating aperture 24 and cutoff valve 21, andserves to dilute the explosive mixture within the intake manifold,increasing the density of the charge at the. same time that the dilutionis effected, and by such increase in density raising the com prcssion ofthe engineand increasing the thermal efficiency thereof. The eifectiveheating of the air by the heater 13 is of hen 'efit in that a bettervaporization of the fuel charge is effected, and also in that thepreheating of this portion of the air raises the temperature of theentire incoming charg and by proportionately raising the maxi-v mumtemperature in the cylinder, increases the thermal efficiency. For. thereasons stated, I find that my auxiliary air inlet dcvice will effect aconsiderable saving in fuel,

While I have shown and described in considerable detail one specificembodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this isillustrative only, and for the purpose of 5 making the invention moreclear, and lhfiil? I do not regard the invention as limited o thesedetails ,nor to any of them, exoept in so far as such limitations areincluded Within the terms of the accompanying claims, in which it is myintention to claim. all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly asis permissible in view of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: "1. Thecombination with the exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, ofan air heater comprising a U -shaped hollow metallic member closed atits top and ends and provided with a flanged open bottom adapted to seaton said exhaust ipe in heat conducting relation therewitll, one of saidflanges being provided with air-admitting hea-tercomprisinga U-shapedhollow metallie member closed at its top and ends and provided with aflan ed open bottom adapted to seat on said ex aust pipe inheatoonducting relation therewith, one of said flanges being-providedwith air-admitting openings, said air heater being also provided with arelatively small air-discharging opening adjacent its top, apipe'connecting said air-discharge with the intake pipe ofthe engine,and means in said pipe for closing the same, to out vofl theeurrent ofair therethmugh.

FRANKLIN DICKEY.

